266-Thankfulness During Political (or Marital) Upheaval

So, today's a pretty important day. And you may listen to this in the future which will be relevant.    More than ever, our land is divided and we have strong convictions on right and wrong. In Jesus' day political issues based on power, oppression, greed, and con... plagued everyone he interacted with. They were impacted at a personal level.   Jesus' sights were different than those experiencing political suffering. He taught us how to love from our hearts. He brought enemies together to pursue God's kingdom over an earthly kingdom.    I don't know what is going to happen in this election. I know I voted according to my convictions.   More importantly, I know that if the other side wins, God is still my King. He is bigger than me. His timeline is far bigger than the number of years I am on this earth.    So, if the next 4 years needs to look different than I hoped, I will not take that out on God.   Because He knows better than I do. Instead, I will pray for those who I might consider enemies right now. I will also live in thanksgiving. It is a command far too often in the Bible for me to ignore.   I encourage you to not let your heart be troubled.   I encourage you to look like Jesus in this time.   Remember when Peter cut off the ear of the soldier coming to take Jesus to kill him (some might say "self-defense")---Jesus rebuked Peter and healed the soldier.    I don't know what God is up to necessarily, but I trust Him. And I will be faithful to His teachings even now.    If suffering is going on in your marriage, this exact message applies to you. Having hope, faith, and love--even now. It's a choice. A hard one. But the right one.    Blessings, Belah